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[–] 141 points 5 months ago*
[–] 70 points 5 months ago (7 children)
  • [+] [S] 71 points 5 months ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 child)
  • [–] 65 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    They also can detect mines and have been highly successful in saving countless limbs/lives in that field too(no pun intended). https://apopo.org/?v=0b3b97fa6688

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  • [–] 17 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Everyone needs to consider donating to them!

    I have a monthly donation set up with them and get a monthly report how many mines a rat managed to find

    They were also hit quite hard by the usaid shutdown, so they really can use any help they can get

    Also: !petrats@lemmy.world needs more activity

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  • [–] 54 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Here is a lovely statue of a rat knitting DNA:

    We owe a lot to rats.

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  • [–] 16 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I love this statue! It's in Novosibirsk. I've always wanted to go there and see it in real life. Once the war is finally over and Russia is free again I'll pay a visit to that little rodent.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Russia is free again

    I really wish that will happen as well, but when has Russia actually been free?

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    Sure, somewhen like 7000bc at least

    Jokes aside, I do believe in a better future. As bleak as everything looks, I strongly want to believe that all the amazing people I've met who want change can achieve it. Even if chances aren't great, I do believe it is possible. After all, what life is left inside you if you decide to not have hope?

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  • [–] 41 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I had companion rats. I had 7 of them (almost all rescued). they’re smart little guys. they can be toilet trained and you can teach them all sorts of tricks. I miss my rats :(

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  • [–] 35 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I have three right now. Theyre very sweet little guys with intense personality. It should be a crime how little their life span is.

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  • [–] 21 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    it sucks that animals that can be SO affectionate (they pee on you to claim you as theirs lol) only live for 2-3 years, 4 if you're really really really lucky. It sucks :/

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I assume you didn't get new ones because there is no replacement for the band of 7 that you initially had?

    I had that with my cat. He lived for 21 years, we got him when I was in kindergarten. I could not imagine getting a new cat. I miss him, but I don't miss having a cat, I miss this cat. I'm not sure if it is better or worse the longer the lifespan is, I imagine losing a beloved pet after 3 years is brutal.

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  • [–] 22 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    They should train them to bring down a little can on a string so you can talk to them 😂

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I mean, you joke, but you couod probabky kit them out with a small Bluetooth earbud to pass off.

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  • [–] 19 points 5 months ago

    Could you imagine? You're trapped after an earthquake, and convinced you're going to die, and a little rat comes up, and you begin to get scared he's going to chew on your face, but he hands you a Bluetooth earpiece, and scurries off to get his treat. You pop it in your ear, and your rescuers are on the other end!

    I'd want to meet that rat when it was over. Give him an entire granola bar.

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  • [–] 22 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Me in collapsed building, seeing a rat with a backpack:

    HOLY SHIT; NIMH IS REAL!?

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  • [–] 16 points 5 months ago

    I'm sorry but "rat backpack"? You should have said rat pack as part of a rat patrol.

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  • [–] 13 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I don’t get the hate on rats. This little guy is adorable.

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  • [–] 10 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    They can also train turtles to do ninjitsu.

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago

    Gotta love a heroic snotpest

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago

    Now if only we could get that rat past Israeli blockade 🇵🇸

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  • [+] 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 child)
  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    #Hero Snot Pests

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

    I was considering owning one, but then I read they continuously piss everywhere.

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  • [–] 21 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    if you get rats, you can’t have just one. they’re highly social and need other rats. two is the absolute minimum, but three is better. please don’t get just one. it’s cruel.

    eta: also, they need a big cage. since they’ll be spending 20-23 hours a day in it, they need a lot of space. those little hamster cages won’t do (they’re too small for hamsters too tbh). the king of rat cages is the double critter nation. I had one. it was epic. they had soooo much room

    they also need at LEAST one hour of playtime outside of the cage. but that’s just the minimum. if you can give them more, that’s even better.

    sorry for the rant. a lot of people don’t realise how to PROPERLY look after rats. also, I’m highly passionate about rats and giving them best life possible, and since they only live a few short years, you will want to give them the best lif le possible

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    Kind of true, but it's more like an ant scent marking. They know this is a place that's safe (rats have been here). With good absorbent natural substrate in the cage, and wiping down their free roam area if needed, it's mostly unnoticeable. I like to compare it to a person needing to change their t-shirt every day, probably not a deal-breaker for interacting, unless you don't clean for way too long.

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  • [–] 12 points 5 months ago*

    It's not "kind of true", they mark scent with urine. And they'll mark all their cage mates too, and that includes their human.

    But yes, rats are tiny and don't pee on you and your house much, that's true. They also absolutely have bladders (what a weird myth that is) and almost always potty train themselves to do most of their urinating in certain spots when not marking scent.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    I want that job!

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago

    I'd start wondering if I was dead and hell was a RL Disney remake.

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